Casey
by chaelzbellz
Summary: Clark and his wife identity revealed within the story had three children two boys and a girl, before his wife died in a car crash in metropolis.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I only own the kids

A/N: Okay! New Story! And its set in the future! Ok so I guess I can't stay away from family fics. In this one Clark and his wife (identity revealed within the story) had three children( two boys and a girl), before his wife died in a car crash in metropolis. The kids know that their father is strong, but are unaware of any of his other powers or his origin. They also know that they have abilities as well (also divulged in the story). Clark HAS NOT BECOME "SUPERMAN", but he does do the same type of heroic acts that he does on Smallville. Here goes nothing!

Fifteen-year-old Casey Kent woke up to the sound of the radio in her fathers car, being sandwiched in the back seat by her two older brothers. She immediately knew where she was and wanted to start crying all over again. Two months ago her mother had died and it was her dad's bright idea to move the rest of their family away from friends and basic civilization and into Smallville, Kansas. When they were getting close to the Kent farm Clark glanced back at his kids in the rearview mirror.

"Listen guys, I know you don't like this. In fact, I know you hate it. But your grandparents are really helping us out here, so I expect you to be respectful and appreciative. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir." The three teens said glumly.

"Is there ANYTHING but corn around here?" Ryan, the oldest of the kids whispered as they piled out of the car.

"Well there's dust and crows." Will snickered.

Casey was the first to see Martha Kent run toward them. "Grandma!" All three children received their own tight hug from their grandmother before she came over to her son.

"Clark, my baby boy." She said before hugging him. "I am so happy you're home."

They all went into the house. "Jonathan went into town to go get some ice cream for dinner." Martha smiled. She showed the kids their new rooms. Ryan and Will didn't like the fact that they had to share and Casey's room was half the size of the one in Metropolis, but they all pretended to be happy, not wanting to hurt their Grandmothers feelings or disobey their father. They were almost done unpacking when Jonathan got home. He too greeted them with hugs, ruffling the boy's hair and kissing Casey on the forehead. He led Clark into the next room to speak with him.

"How are you holding up?" He asked

"As well as can be expected." Clark sighed.

"And the kids?"

"Frustrated, angry, depressed. None of them really wanted to move, but I couldn't let them see me cry every time we saw something that reminded me of their mother. Besides the fact that, ever since her- her death Will has been running with a pretty bad crowd, Ryan never even talks to me and Casey's stopped eating. I'm running on empty here Dad."

"It's going to be okay, son. Your mother and I will do whatever it takes to help. We're here for you Clark."

After dinner Casey headed to her "room." When she opened her door she found Will going through here drawers.

"What are you doing, you jerk!" She screamed.

"I think I packed my toothbrush in one of your boxes. Calm down." He said.

"Calm down? You don't just go through peoples stuff Will!"

"I'm not going through peoples stuff. I'm going through your stuff. Stop screaming." He laughed.

"This isn't funny. I have personal stuff in there." She said pouting her lower lip.

"What person stuff? If you mean your diary I've already read it like a million times."

It was at this point that Casey threw herself at her brother. Hearing all of the yelling Ryan, Clark, Martha and Jonathan rushed to the room.

"Cut it out you guys!" Ryan said trying to break his younger siblings apart. By the time the adults got there, the three of them looked like they were in one of those little balls of smoke you see in fights on cartoons.

"What happened?" Martha asked.

"Sorry." Clark said to his parents. "I'll handle this." Clark separated each of his kids.

"What's going on here?" He asked. The Kent kids sulked in three different corners of the room.

Looking in from the open door Martha turned to Jonathan. "Looks like we've got teens again."

"Yep"

"Rise and shine guys!" Jonathan said knocking on Will and Ryan's door. Ryan looked at his watch.

"Grandpa its 5:45 in the morning." He whined.

"I know."

"And its Saturday." Will moaned

"I know that too." Jonathan laughed.

Breakfast was already on the table as Clark's children dazedly stumbled into the kitchen. There jaws almost hit the floor when they saw the breakfast spread. Before their mother died she used to force them to at least eat some toast and some juice before they left the house in the morning. Since then, the boys conned their father into letting them eat pop tarts and Casey didn't bother to eat anything at all. But Martha Kent had prepared what looked to them like a feast. Two kinds of eggs, bacon, pancakes, sausage, and fresh squeezed orange juice. Clark was already sitting at the table with his mother.

"Wow grandma!" Will said. "This looks awesome!"

As they ate Jonathan explained that everyone on the farm did their part and helped out. Clark couldn't help but smile when he saw the look on their faces as Jonathan explained things like mucking out stalls and bailing hay. These were city kids. He'd always had them do chores, but taking the garbage out and taking in the mail was very different from the chores they were doing here. As he was talking, a teenage boy came in through the kitchen door.

"Mr. Kent, I'm sorry I'm late…" The boy looked at the table embarrassed. "Oh. Sorry. I didn't know you had people over."

"Dave, hi. Everyone, this is Dave Hastings. He's been helping us out on the farm for three summers now." Jon said. "Dave, you remember our son Clark and his kids. They came to visit last spring?"

"Yes sir." The boy said "Nice to see y'all again. I'll be starting with my chores now."

"Have you had breakfast?" Martha asked. "Sit down join us."

"Oh no ma'am, I don't want to impose."

"Its no imposition and after breakfast you can teach Ryan, Will and Casey how things work around here." For the first time, Casey looked up and locked eyes with Dave. The two of them smiled coyly at each other. She thought about. Outside, being all dirty and sweaty with this kid all day. Maybe chores wouldn't be that bad here after all.

Jonathan, and Clark taught Will and Ryan little tricks and skills to help their chores go a bit easier. Jonathan sent Dave into the barn so that Clark and the boys could use their powers to lift several bags of feed.

Martha and Casey cleaned up around the house and baked a pie for dinner. After about two hours of work, the kids were allowed to rest and Martha made sandwiches for lunch. She sent Casey out to get the guys.

"Hey honey." Clark said. "Is lunch ready?"

Casey nodded and headed toward the barn to inform Dave as Ryan snuck up next to her. "You like him don't you bugger?" He asked.

"Who?" Casey asked.

"Who?" Ryan sarcastically. "I don't know. Maybe the kid you drooled over all through breakfast. Gosh, we're here for A DAY and you already fall for somebody. Dad's gonna love that."

"Shut up Ry!" Casey said. "I'm just going to tell the kid about lunch."

"Yeah go ahead. Tell your lova whatever you want." He joked catching up to his dad.

Casey didn't know why, but she kind of liked it when Ryan teased her. She walked into the barn, which somehow looked a lot smaller than when she was little. She remembered pretending it was a castle with her brothers.

"Lookin for something?" Dave asked seeing her space out.

"You actually." She said. "Lunch is ready."

She began to turn around and walk away when Dave said "I remember you, ya know."

"From last spring right?"

"Before that. The first year I worked here. You called me a country bumpkin and made fun of my accent." He smiled.

Casey was so embarrassed. She'd forgotten all about that. "Well, that's only because you called me a, what was it? Oh yeah, a spoiled prissy city brat."

Now it was Dave's turn to be embarrassed. "Yes I did. Sorry about that. You proved me wrong though didn't you. Jumped right into a puddle of mud." Casey giggled remembering the girl she used to be.

"Well we better head in. I know my grandmothers cooking and I know my brothers. if we don't hurry up we'll only be left with the scraps."

As Will sat at the lunch table, he could barely control his gag reflex. Everyone was being so fake. Sitting around like they didn't have a care in the world. LIARS! All of them. He needed something to ease his stress and he had just the thing. He excused himself from the table and went up to his room. He looked in his dresser, but couldn't find what he wanted.

"Looking for these." Will saw his grandmother standing in his doorway with his pack of cigarettes.

"Um… I… Grandma I…" Over the course of the past two months he had effortlessly lied to his father over 50 times. It was second nature. But at that moment, there in his room, he was a complete blank. He couldn't make up an excuse. "Did you tell my dad?" He could just see his father now. He'd be grounded forever. Then Will remembered a couple of years ago when Ryan was caught trying a cigarette with some friends at his school. Clark made sure he didn't sit for a week. Suddenly being grounded didn't sound so bad.

"No I haven't told your father." Martha said.

"Really?" Phew. That was a relief. Who knew his Grandmother was so cool.

"William I want to talk to you." Great! Just when he thought he was off the hook she William-ed him. Martha motioned for him to sit down on the bed next to her.

"I know that things have been…difficult, but you've always been such a responsible young man. What is going on with you?" Martha looked into Will's eyes. They reminded her of Clarks. So lost and alone, yet at the same time determined and strong. Unwilling to accept any help from anyone. "It's okay sweetheart." Martha cooed, putting her arm around him.

"I dunno. I mean, dad says my new friends were 'a bad influence' but at least they liked me." He looked up at Martha. "And as for this being about Mom, well, its not. She's gone Grandma. At least I can acknowledge it. And now I'm left alone." He blinked back a tear.

"You are not alone…"

"I know I've got you and Grandpa, dad and Casey and Ryan, but- but I was Mom's... It just was an obvious fact. Ryan was dad's favorite and Casey is Ryan's pet. I was always mom's. She's gone and now I really am alone."

"Will." Martha said, "Look at me. First of all you're mother will never be gone. She'll always be with you every step of the way." Will looked away, unable to brush away his cascade of silent tears. Martha continued, "Her family was her life. And, well you know how stubborn she was. Do you really think she would have you guys be unloved? You can be the young man your mother raised." By this time Will was visibly shuddering. Martha put her arm around him and just let him cry. He needed it.

Over the next two weeks Clark and his kids began to settle in to life on a farm and life in Smallville. Chores weren't that hard with powers and Dave introduced them to some of his friends and the local teen hangouts. One night after dinner the three teens were headed to the movies on their bikes when it started to rain. The droplets of water pounded as they rode. Ryan and Will laughed as they watched Casey enjoy the rainfall as she rode ahead. She'd always loved playing in the rain. As a young girl she would always get in trouble for sneaking up to the roof of their house in Metropolis and dancing about in the rain.

Without warning a lightning bolt knocked the poor girl off of her bike to the ground where she and her bike tumbled ."CASEY!" Ryan screamed.

" NO!" Will jumped off of his bike. "Not again." he pleaded to himself. But when they reached their sister, she didn't look harmed at all. If it weren't for the state of ripped clothes there would be no sign of the accident. They stared at each other, speechless. They knew they were strong, but there's a difference between being able to do some extra chores and what had just occurred.

Finally Casey spoke. "Wha-What just happened to me?" she asked.

"I don't know." Ryan said "I…I think we should go home."

Clark was in the living room reading when his kids came in. "I thought you'd get caught in the rain." He chuckled. Then he looked at Casey. "Honey, what happened to you?"

"We're not really sure." she said. "I think I was hit by… Well I mean I know I was, I just don't know how- we don't know how. Cuz it really doesn't make sense if you think about it…"

"Casey, I don't understand a word you're saying." Clark said confused.

"She got hit by lightning and then totally ate concrete with her bike." Will said.

"Oh my God!" Clark began examining his daughter. "Are you all right."

"That's the thing Dad. I'm fine. Confused, but fine."

Clark sighed. He'd been putting this off for a long time now. "I think we need to talk."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A/N: Sorry about the mixup. Here's the real second chapter

Clark sat his all of children down in the living room couch. He made it clear that what he was about to tell them wasn't easy and he didn't want any interruptions. Then he explained it to them. Everything. How he grew up having the same limitations that they had to have. No sports teams or play dates. He told them that he shared their confusion, wondering how and why he was different. Then he explained the truth of his heritage. His family. Krypton. At first there was silence.

"Dad. You're kidding. Right?" Will said unsure. Clarks facial expression answered his question.

"So we're from another planet and we're gunna be freaks for the rest of our lives and you just thought it best not to tell us?" Casey asked.

"You are not freaks." Clark sighed.

"Oh no sorry. We're just ALIENS. I can't believe this." Casey said, covering up her surprise with her world famous temper. "I wont… you've been lying to me from the day I was born. You bastard."

"Watch it Case." Ryan warned.

"You're saying you're okay with this Ry?"

"Casey I know what you're going through. I lived it too and, yeah, it was a shock for me to find out the truth."

"So why would you put us through that Daddy?" Casey said on the verge of tears. "Why would you lie to us for our whole lives and then just spring this on us?"

Clark didn't know what to say. "I guess… I mean I thought I was saving you from feeling different. Saving you from putting yourself in danger the way I did when I found out."

"Did Mom know?" Will asked.

"Are you kidding? She knew before I even told her." Clark sighed. He got up from the chair he sat in a squeezed in between Ryan and Casey on the couch.

"So what happens now?" Ryan asked.

"I don't know." Clark said. "But whatever happens from here on out, we'll be sure to be honest, and that includes me. Deal?"

"Deal." Ryan and Will said.

Clark looked down at Casey. "Honey?"

"I don't like it, but I guess I don't have a choice… Deal."

The kids asked Clark a immeasurable amount of questions before they all fell asleep right there on the living room couch.

"Clark?" Jonathan said waking his son up. He and Martha were quite surprised when they came downstairs that morning and found their son and grandchildren all asleep on the couch. Clark hazily opened his eyes. He squeezed out of the couch trying not to wake up the kids.

Once they were in the kitchen Clark explained. "They know guys."

"Know? You mean…" Martha asked.

"Yeah. They know. Last night Casey had a near death experience that didn't bring her anywhere near death and it kinda freaked them out. I had no choice but to tell them the truth."

"How'd they take?" Jonathan said.

"Well nobody supersped out of the door, so better than I took it." Clark half smiled.

There was a lot of discussion and many more questions in the kent household that day. The kids went through periods of anger, denial and excitement as Clark told them about powers they might expect and cases that he used them growing up.

"Are you telling me you never even wanted to look through some girls dress." Will asked.

"Will!" Casey scolded.

"Hey." Ryan cut in "it's a valid question. So dad, did you?"

Clark cleared his throat. " Well, I often wanted to, but I never did if I wasn't under the influence of red kryptonite." The boys nodded to each other as their father left the room..

"You guys are gross!" Casey said walking over to the ringing telephone. "Kent Residence… Oh hey Dave…" Ryan smiled at Will and they both began making kissing noises. "Shut up." Casey said.

"Davey and Casey sitting in a tree…" Will sang.

"Um how old are you again?" Casey asked through gritted teeth.

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Ryan joined the song.

Casey tried to ignore them and continued her conversation with Dave. " So what's up… Oh yeah, sorry about last night. Yeah we were on the way to the movies to meet you but…" Ryan flicked her shoulder, interrupting her. "Ow! She said holding the phone to her chest. "What was that for?" 

"Don't tell him about last night!" Ryan said.

"I wasn't."

"He cant know!"

"I wasn't gunna tell him. God!" She picked up the phone again. "Sorry I got disrupted again. So what were you saying? Oh yeah? Well… I mean… probably just not tonight. Family issues… Yep. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye."

"What'd he want?" Will inquired.

"Oh he got worried when we didn't show up at the movies last night."

"Oh."

"Also he called to um…" she mumbled something.

"What?" Ryan asked. "I couldn't hear you."

"He asked me out on a date." Casey said half ecstatic half annoyed.

As he watched his sister skip up to her room Will turned to Ryan. "This is gunna be trouble." He said.

"Oh yeah." Ryan agreed

"A- A what?" Clark choked out. "He wants to take her on a what?"

"A date, Dad. You know, maybe dinner and a movie or something." Clark gave Ryan a confused look.

"God, I know you've been out of the game for a while, but 'date' is pretty common lingo." Will said looking up at his father.

"I know what a date is Will I just… I'm not sure she's ready for dating." He began to pace back and forth in the room.

"Are you kidding?" Will asked. "Dad, most girls Casey's age are SO past just dating."

"Excuse me." Clark said panicking.

"Real smooth Will. That made the situation much better." Ryan sighed, then turned his attention back to his unnerved father. "What the moron was trying to say is, Casey's at a normal dating age. We just wanted to give you a heads up."

" Thanks guys." Clark said.

Casey didn't mention the offer of a date the entire day. Finally at dinner Clark said "Case, I've thought about it, and you can go on the date with Dave."

"What?" She asked.

"I've thought about it and I think its acceptable." He said smiling.

"How did you even know about it." She said looking troubled.

"When did Dave ask you out?" Jonathan interrupted.

"Case," Will said smiling, "we told Dad. We figured we'd help you out. You can thank us later."

"Why should I thank you?"

"We did you a favor bugger." Ryan said

"Who asked you to?" Case stood up. Everyone at the table looked at her, perplexed.

"Whats your deal Casey?" Will asked.

"I'm not going on a date with Dave. Next time why don't you just mind your own business!" She stormed out of the room and went to the barn.

"I'm sorry." Clark apologized to his parents. He stood up. "I don't know whats come over her."

"Clark," Martha said. "I'll talk to her."

Martha found Casey sitting on the edge of the window in the loft. Casey looked up at her. "No offense Grandma, but when I left dinner I really wasn't fishing for a Kent family motivational speech."

Martha chortled and sat down next to her. "That's good, because I'm not here to give a speech. I'm here to listen. I want to know why you'd pass up at date with a boy that you've obviously liked since you met him just so you can sit up here and feel sorry for yourself."

"I dunno… I've never been on a date and I don't know what to do. No matter what its not gunna be the way I thought it would." Martha gave her a look as if to say "continue." "I guess I just always imagined Mom helping me with what to wear and say, but that's not going to happen. I mean dad's great, but half of his wardrobe is plaid. And it's be just weird if he could teach me anything about makeup. "

Martha put her arm on Casey's shoulder. "Sweetheart, you may not believe this, but I'm not just a grandmother. I'm also a woman. And if you'd let me, I would love to help you get ready for your date."

Casey smiled and gave her grandmother a hug.

Clark sat on the couch next to Jonathan Ryan and Will. They'd been waiting for Martha and Casey to come down to the living room for thirty minutes. "What could they possibly be doing up there for so long." Ryan complained.

"Are you kidding?" Will asked. "Grandma's trying to make Casey look like a girl." Both boys chuckled.

"Will that's enough." Clark warned.

"Sorry Dad." Ryan said.

" Yeah. I was just kidding." Will said.

"Well don't. Casey is not to hear one teasing comment when she comes down here. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir" both boys said.

Martha soon appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "She's ready, but she's a bit nervous." She explained. "Casey sweetheart? Come on down here." Timidly, Casey came down the stairs. Jonathan couldn't believe this was his granddaughter. Will and Ryan had dropped heir jaws. Clark wiped a single tear from his cheek. She had her hair flowing down for the first time in months, there was make-up on her face and most importantly she was wearing a cute little summer dress Martha picked up for her. "Hey guys." She said. "Why are you all starring? Does it really look THAT bad?"

"Cassandra, you- you look beautiful." Clark said kissing her forehead.

The door bell rang at 7 pm on the dot. They all looked to Casey as it rang again and she sprinted back up the stairs.

"Ryan! Can you get that for me!" Casey squealed.

"You have legs don't you?" Ryan asked.

"I don't want to seem to eager. Call me from my room when he gets here, okay?"

Ryan opened the door for Dave. He wore a collard shirt and khakis, a big difference from his farm wardrobe (an ever other day trade off between holey jeans and overalls).

"Hi everybody." Dave said. "Um is Casey home?"

"She'll be down in a minute." Martha explained heading up to get Casey.

" Dave," Clark smiled "I'm glad we have a little time right now."

"Why's that?" Dave asked smiling back.

"Well," he said leading him out onto the porch "since you're taking my daughter out, I think the two of us need to have a private chat."

Dave's smile was gone. "Sure Mr. Kent." He managed to say.

Casey was surprised not to see Dave or her father when she came down the stairs. "Where'd they go?" she asked.

"Dad had to talk to him about you." Will said.

"Oh no," she whispered "I guess that's the last we'll see of dave."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I only own the Kent kids

Dave looked down at his shoes. He was nervous. He'd been in this same spot for years, but this time it was different. This time Clark was different.

"So where are you planning on taking my daughter?" Clark asked towering over Dave as he did most people.

"Well, they just changed up the movies at the theater and if she doesn't like'm we could go get dinner or something."

"And you're driving?"

"Yessir" Dave looked up very quickly at Clark and then went back to staring at his shoes.

"Dave, from what I know of you, you're a good kid." Somehow this calm chatty voice scared Dave more than anything. "But everyone makes mistakes, don't they?"

Dave was confused. " Yessir. I mean I guess so."

" Well I need you to make sure that NONE of those mistakes happen with my daughter. Because if they did happen, I would know."

"Mr. Kent I'm would never…"

"Oh Dave, understand, I'm not saying YOU would slip-up around my daughter. I just think you should know that if you did, I would know." Dave swallowed hard. Luckily Casey had had enough of waiting inside and came out onto the porch.

"Daddy, what are you doing?" She asked tapping her foot impatiently.

Clark suddenly stepped out of the role of scary interrogating father, back into his normal persona.

"Nothing baby," he smiled "have fun. Don't stay out too late."

Casey practically had to push Clark back in the house. Once he was inside she looked at Dave who was staring at her. "Hey." She smiled.

"Hi." He returned the smile. They walked over to his truck and he opened the door for her. Clark watched from the window. "She'll be fine." Jonathan said putting his hand on Clarks shoulder.

"For Dave's sake, she'd better be." Ryan said turning to Will.

The date was going as well as Casey could have hoped. They'd gone to check out the new movies showing. Two horror movies, a cartoon and a documentary on the spawning of salmon. Dave suggested they get dinner and check out another movie theatre 20 minutes from town that showed classic movies. Although they ate at a very cute French restaurant, neither of them ordered anything fancy. They really enjoyed talking to each other more than the food.

Will and Ryan watched tv on the couch. "Dude," Will sighed "this is SO lame. Our little sister is out on a date, while we sit here waiting up FOR HER on the farm watching cartoons. We should be out. You know, doing something."

"Do you have any ideas of that 'something' we could do?" When Ryan's question was met with silence he leaned back into the couch. "Well if you think of something let me know."

Will sat up. "We could go into town and try that X-ray vision Dad was talking about on hot girls."

"Okay, let me rephrase that. If you come up with something that's NOT completely retarded and/or something that will get us strangled by dad, then you let me know."

"Did you just call me retarded?" Will asked.

Ryan rolled his eyes. "Shut up Will."

"You shut up!"

"You shut up!"

"Make me!" Will dared his older brother.

"You are such a child. If I fight you, I'll just end up kicking your ass and making you cry AGAIN, and guess who'll get in trouble then?"

"Kicking my ass?" Will scoffed.

"Oh don't act like it hasn't happened before."

"Okay, but that was like maybe two times and only one of those times I cried. Besides I was just a kid." He defended, pouting ever so slightly.

Ryan laughed at his brother. He knew he had beaten him up way more than that. However, he decided to spare his brother and end the argument there before Will actually did get his feelings hurt.

It turned out the classic movie theater had been closed down for months. Drawing a blank on anything else to do, Dave and Casey drove around town and talked about school, holidays, family, politics, books, embarrassing moments and much more. As Dave drove past the Kent farm path, he stopped the car and turned to Casey. "Listen, I had a whole plan about us going on this date and then somehow it got all jumbled and I'm sorry if you were disappointed and I understand if you never wanna go out with me aga…" Casey interrupted his babbling by planting him with a kiss.

"I had fun." She said. "didn't you have fun?"

"Well of course I did, but I just thought that… well you're a city girl. I thought you'd be dissatisfied in a date driving around with me all night. I dunno." He shrugged.

"I liked talking to you. If we had to fill time with movies and had nothing to say to each other, THEN I'd never go on a date with you again. But this, this was nice. Especially that last thing we just did." She smiled.

"What, you mean this?" Dave asked and pulled her into another kiss, this one longer and more passionate. They stayed parked in the middle of that dirt path for fifteen more minutes. When they finally did pull up to the house, Casey had to fix her hair. Dave went around and opened the door for her and walked her to her front porch. She thought about doing one more stereotypical end of first date at the door kisses, but then remembered that her entire family was probably watching. She opted for a hug and said "tonight was wonderful."

When Casey walked in the house, she found her brothers, grandparents and her father asleep on the couch in front of cartoons. "You guys are so bad at faking." She said. A smile crept on to Martha's face and both the boys tried to stifle laughing. They all sat up, Clark looking a bit sheepish.

"So how was it?" Martha asked.

"A lady never kisses and tells." Casey smiled heading up to her room.

"He kissed you?" Clark, Ryan, Will and Jonathan all said at the same time.

The next day was Sunday. Casey was happy it was one of the two days Dave didn't work at the kent farm. She knew he'd be uncomfortable, the kent men would make sure of that. Casey was also excited because she remembered Dave mentioning something about pre-season soccer starting up in a week. She was nervous about starting school without really knowing anyone and, like most sports, she was always really good at soccer. This could be a way to make friends and do something she really liked. She came down to breakfast and greeted her siblings with a huge smile on her face.

"God," Will said. "Is Dave really that good?"

Casey sat down. "Unlike you, Will, not every bit of my happiness is about the opposite sex."

"What about sex?" Clark asked rushing into the room.

"Nothing Daddy." Casey said hugging her father.

"Well then if it isn't Dave, what's got you so excited?" Ryan asked. Martha and Jonathan entered from the barn.

"I'm gunna try out for soccer next week." She said.

Jonathan cleared his throat. "Soccer?"

"Yeah. I mean I haven't played in a while, but I can still give it a shot."

"I don't know Casey…" Jonathan began.

"I think it's a great idea." Clark cut in. Jonathan gave him a stern look that only he, his son and his wife saw. "Dad, can I talk to you in the living room."

"Son you know as well as I do that she can't play team sports like the other kids." Jonathan whispered.

"Dad, I don't want her to have to miss out on the things I did." Clark said. " I appreciate everything you've done for me. I-I really do. It's just…I have to give y kids the chance." He clapped his father on the back and headed back into the kitchen. Jonathan didn't like it, but what could he do?

Casey worked on her ball handling skills for hours. She had speed down, even without her abilities she could outrun most kids her age. She didn't even come in for lunch.

"It's not right for a growing girl to miss a meal." Martha said as she stopped watching Casey out of the window and sat down with the rest of the family.

"She said that she isn't hungry." Ryan said. "I could go tell her to come in again Grandma."

"It wouldn't matter how many times you tell her and you know it." Will smiled. "Once Case gets something into her mind, she wont stop for anything."

"She's like her mother that way." Clark said.

They were right. Casey trained all the way until dinner. She went over techniques in her head while she did the dishes. She talked for ten minutes on the phone with Dave, before she went back to it. When she went in her room she looked up and studied stats about the Crows past games and the current coach.

As relieved as she was that Dave didn't work on Sundays, she was just as joyful to see his truck pull up bright and early Monday morning. When they talked on the phone the night before, Casey talked him in to coming a whole half hour early for wok so that they could have breakfast and spend sometime together. Dave was a little uneasy about the idea at first. Spending more time with Casey would be great. It was the time spent with her family that made him nervous.

Will and Ryan were already sitting when Dave and Casey sat down. Martha came in and called down Clark and Jonathan. When they all sat down Jonathan said grace and they began to eat. There wasn't much talking at first. In fact, aside from the occasional request to pass something this normally talkative table had no talking at all

Finally Jonathan said "You think you might wanna tinker with the tractor, Dave?"

"Sir?" Dave asked confused.

"The tractor's been acting up lately. You think you can take a look at it?" He cleared up.

"Oh. Yes sir." Dave complied.

"I'll help too." Will volunteered.

After breakfast Martha and Casey went to do some deliveries, Jonathan Clark and Ryan did some work in the barn and Will and Dave went to work on the tractor. As soon as the ladies returned Casey found Dave waiting for her on the front porch. "There she is." He smiled. "How were the deliveries?"

"Okay. Mr. Dolkins complained that his apple pies were bigger last week, even though they weren't. How was life on the farm? Did you and Will find out what was with the tractor?" Casey asked.

"Yeah. That wasn't all I found out." Dave chuckled.

"What does that mean?"

"Will told me some really cute stories about you when you were little and he showed me the funniest pictures." Casey didn't know if she was more embarrassed or more upset.

"Will!" she screamed storming into his room after Dave had gone home.

"What?" Will asked, but the smile on his face gave him away.

"Baby pictures Will? You showed him my baby pictures? And you told him I used to run around naked!"

"Well you did" He laughed.

"Well those stories and pictures and stories are officially off limits when it comes to Dave."

"God Case its not that big of a deal. I'm sorry okay." His apology only mildly calmed her anger, but Casey didn't freak out (that much). She went into her room and wrote in her diary and listened to loud music and tried to keep herself from killing her brother. When she finally did decide to get some rest and hit the hay, she felt the light from the barn shine in from her window. She looked at her clock. 1:30 AM. Who was up at 1:30? She crept out of bed and opened the door and went over to the barn.

When Casey got to the barn she began to hear whispering coming from he loft. There she found Will and a girl with blue streaked hair pawing at each other like animals. She let out a little gasp. It wasn't little enough, because I caused Will to spin around and look at her.

"Casey!" Will said.

"What are you doing?" She asked her brother.

"Um…Case this is Linda." Will explained.

"Lisa." The dyed girl corrected.

"Lisa! Case this is Lisa. We met the other night at the Talon and I invited her over to hangout tonight. Um…" he turned to Lisa who had lit up a cigarette. "Don't smoke that around my kid sister."

"So-RRY" Lisa said sarcastically.

Will turned his attention back to Casey "Promise not to tell on me, Case?"

"Promise not to pick on me ever again?" Casey negotiated.

"Not likely." He sighed

"Well... What can you offer me?"

"Well, I wont show Dave any of your baby pictures."

"Or tell him any embarrassing stories?"

"Uhhhhh… Deal." Will caved.

"Deal."

"Promise me."

"I promise." She said heading back down the stairs. Then she turned around and said to Lisa "Oh and by the way, Will peed on himself until the third grade."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

Two days later was the registration for pre-season. Casey knew she didn't even have to play that day, but the idea of meeting the girls and the coaches still freaked her out. She was almost finished with her chores when the alarm on her watch went off. It was 12:15. 45 minutes until registration, it was time to go. She headed inside and looked for Martha.

Dave was inside getting a glass of lemonade.

"Hey you." She smiled "You seen my grandmother?"

"Oh your dad took her into town to pick up some things." Dave said.

"What?" She asked, "She's supposed to take me to register for soccer! I need to go!"

"Calm down." He said finishing his drink. "I'll take you over to the school."

"Dave!" Jonathan spotted them as they left the house. "There you are. I need you to finish the south field."

"Yes sir. I'll get to it right after I take Case over to the high school to register for soccer."

"The field needs to be finished as soon as possible." Jonathan told him a bit more sternly.

"Grandpa." Casey said "We'll be back in an hour at the most."

" Casey I'm sorry but Dave needs to get his work done. You should have made plans earlier to get to this registration." Jonathan sighed.

"I did. Grandma said she'd take me, but she went into town with Dad. And by the time they get back it might be to late. Besides it's no big deal."

"Actually it is a big deal. As much as you want this to be our own personal playground, this farm keeps food on the table and I intend to keep it running. So unless YOU want to take over Cassandra, I suggest you leave it to me."

Casey's heart sank to the pit of her stomach. She'd never, EVER heard her grandfather talk to anyone, especially her, that way. She wasn't sure what she should do or say. She felt her body turn around and quickly move into the house. She sat down at the kitchen counter.

"Hey bugger." Ryan said coming in from the barn. " I saw what happened out there. You okay?" She looked up at him. "Of course you're not. Stupid question. Look, if you want me to, I can drive you to the registration."

"Its not about the stupid registration." Casey sighed putting her head on his shoulder.

"I know." He said, comforting her. "But it still might help to get you off of the farm. It'll give both you and Grandpa time for your tempers to cool off."

"GRANDPA is the one with the temper. _I_ don't have a temper." She said folding her arms.

"Clearly." Ryan responded sarcastically. Casey wanted to slug him in the shoulder, but she couldn't help chuckle when she saw the smile on her brothers face.

Later that night

Clark noticed when Casey and Ryan returned from the registration that Casey and his father weren't in their usual comfortable mood. At dinner it was obvious they were avoiding eye contact. When Ryan knocked on Clarks door, he was more than ready to hear what was going on.

"Dad?" Ryan said going into the room.

"Yeah Ry."

"Well… I need to tell you something…well, I mean, its not like I'm telling on Grandpa or trying to rat out Casey…but they kinda had a fight today and I think you should fix it. See Casey had to go to the soccer registration and Grandpa just went off and… "

It was clear to Clark what had occurred. Now he just needed to figure out how to handle it.

Clark found Jonathan sitting in front of a pile of papers. "Dad, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Can it wait, Son. I have so much to do before tomorrow morning." Jon explained.

"Dad its kind of important. Its about what happened this afternoon with you and Casey." Jonathan stopped shuffling through the papers, but didn't look up as Clark continued. "Dad I know you want to protect her and you think she'll hurt somebody, but we gotta let Casey do this soccer thing."

"Clark, I told you I would help you and that's all I'm trying to do. I've been through this before. The missed play dates and team sports and the disappointment that comes with sacrifice. They say there's no manual on how to raise a child. Well trust me, I wouldn't change any part of you, but finding instructions on how to raise a child who has super powers is even more rare. "

Clark sighed. "Dad, you and Mom were- are great parents. That's why I know you gave me enough good sense to make the right decision here. Casey has been… well she's been through a lot lately. A lot more than any kid her age should have to handle. And I want to protect her as much as you do. But I know her and I can tell… she's on the brink right now. She's so close to being happy- so close to being almost _whole_ again. Right now she needs to know that I trust her…that we trust her. And as much as I value your opinion and appreciate all you've done for us, I cant watch my daughter fall apart because we're too afraid to see her try."

Jonathan nodded. He clapped his son, who was now a man, on the back and headed up to talk with his granddaughter.

Casey always loved it when both of her brothers were nice to her at the same time. They were never "mean" to her, but Will sometimes picked on her and often, as the oldest, Ryan was really bossy. Then there were the mixed times when she and Will were joined at the hip doing stupid, silly things and Ryan was "too cool" to hang out with them. And then moments when she was Ryan's pet and they'd read or have long significant talks and Will knew his energy would only disrupt them. But then every once in a while they all got along. She noticed that this was one of those times. They were arranged on her floor listening to music and playing "I Spy." She should have been cheerful, but she wasn't. This moment was fake. Her brothers were there out of obligation. It was their duty to protect her. Take her mind off being sad. She appreciated it, but it didn't change the facts.

Her Grandfather was mad at her and she was mad at him. Mad and confused. Mad, confused and guilty. But most of all, she was hurt. What had she done? She didn't mean to do anything. And even if she did do something, what gave him the right to snap at her like that? These thoughts raced through her head as she searched the room for the something blue that Will spied.

There was a knock on the door and Jonathan poked his head in. "Hey kids." He said a bit uncomfortably.

"Hi Grandpa." Will said.

"Erm, boys, can I talk to your sister…alone." Jonathan said.

"Oh um, yes sir." Ryan complied. Both boys looked to Casey as they walked into the hall.

Jonathan stood uncomfortably in the front of Casey's bed and said "Your room is always so much neater than the guys room." He was stalling.

"I try to clean it up every morning." So was she.

Jonathan caved. "So about earlier today… I just want you to know… Casey I want to protect you and today… I didn't mean to lash out at you. Its just that I love you so much and I want you to know, I only have your best interest at heart Honey Bear." Casey smiled when he called her that. She remembered how Jonathan used to hide small jars of honey around the kitchen when they would visit, and she as his Honey Bear would find them. She saw her grandfather's face and knew he meant what he'd said. Casey stood up on her bed so that she was a little taller than Jonathan. She went over and gave him a hug.

'Now get some rest." Jonathan said. "Tomorrow's your first official practice as a crow. I'll drive you in bright and early."

She got up early the next day and found the brand new shin guards, ball and cleats with a note from Clark on them:

_Casey _

_I hope these help you play your heart out, my baby._

_Love Always,_

_Daddy_

Martha had already made her her own breakfast and a bag lunch.

Jonathan wished her luck and kissed her on the cheek before she went into the building that would be her new school in a week.

Back at the farm, the Kent boys and Dave were busy working on their chores.

"So Dave," Ryan said, "You excited for school to start?"

"I'd be if I were him." Will cut in. "You only have to work like this in the summer right?"

"Not really. I mean, I don't work here during the school year, but I do work at my family's farm."

"You have a farm too?" Will asked. "Why don't you work there during the summer?

"Well kids come from Met U. willing to work and my Dad doesn't need me there so I work here."

"Dude, if college guys wanted to work here, I wouldn't go looking for another job. I mean you started here when you were what 14. " Ryan said.

"13." Dave corrected. "And its not that bad. The Kents have always been really nice to me. Plus, its not like I have a choice. My dad's kinda strict. He said I had to work because he says jobs build character." The boys went back to their work. About an hour later they were called into lunch. A little after they were done the phone rang.

"Kent residence." Clark said. "Hi sweetheart. It's Casey," he said to the rest of the room. Then returned to the phone. "So how was it? That's great. Did you like the other girls? Oh that's nice. Alright, I'll see you then." Clark had on his trademark smile as he turned to the rest of the room. "She did great!" He beamed heading out the door. "She made the first and second cuts for varsity."

Casey spent the whole car ride home talking about what she had learned, how she was planning to improve and how great she thought the team was going to be. When she got home, she entertained the rest of the family with the same stories. She was at the end of her story about her first goal of the day when she noticed Dave wasn't in the room. She found him in the barn, moving bales of hay.

"What're you doing in here?" She asked.

"Just finishing up the days work. I heard you were awesome today."

"Well you know, what can I say." She went to give him a hug but he backed away.

"I'm all sweaty." He explained.

"So am I, besides when has being sweaty ever been a bad thing?" She asked, half joking, half confused. "Are you okay?"

"Yes…Yes I'm fine." He assured her, but Casey didn't trust it.

"Are you positive?"

"Yes. I'm fine. In fact with you here…" He kissed her " I'm more than fine."

They went up to the loft of the barn. "Case…." Dave said softly trying not moan out of pleasure as she felt under his shirt. "Casey," He repeated "We can't do this here." She ignored Dave, straddling him over his legs. "Somebody's in a good mood." He joked before coming back to his senses. "Case, your father will kill me if he catches us like this and if he doesn't your grandparents will have me hung. Your grandpa has massive muscles."

Casey got off of him him. "Davey, for future reference, nothing kills the mood like mentioning a girls grandparents when she's all hot and bothered."

He kissed her on the forehead, smiled and said "Sorry, but I'd rather kill the mood than have your family kill me."

The Kent kids went to the Tallon that night after dinner. "So Case, why didn't your boy toy join us tonight?" Will asked when Ryan went up to get their drinks.

"His father wanted him to go home early or something." Then she spotted the girl with the dyed hair. "Hey Will look who it is." She said.

"Shut up Case." Will whispered.

"What, did you not tell Ry about your lover? But you constantly tell him about all of your other little lady friends."

"Not when he likes her too."

"Oh!" Casey laughed out loud. "So the plot thickens."

"Casey, you tell Ryan about me and her and I swear our deal about Dave and the baby stories and photos is terminated."

"No way." She argued. "We shook. You cant just change a deal."

"DO NOT tell him Casey."

"Since when have you had the right to tell me what to do?" Casey complained.

"Um I don't know, SINCE YOU WERE BORN."

"Fine, Mr. Crabby. Mums the word." She said as Ryan walked over.

"Hey do you see who's sitting over by the counter?" Ryan asked.

"Erm…No who?" Will lied.

"That girl Lisa from last week. I thought we hit it off last time. I'm gunna go talk to her."

"That sounds like a great idea." Casey said smiling as big as she could.

Will pinched her elbow. "I don't know man," he said. "She's not THAT great and…um…I heard she has a peg leg!"

"A peg leg?" Both Ryan and Casey asked.

"Who told you she has a peg leg?" Ryan asked.

"I dunno." Will said kicking himself for coming up with such a bad lie. "I just heard it around. It's a small town you know."

"Well I'm still gunna go talk to her, peg leg and all." Ryan said and he went over to her.

"A peg leg?" Casey repeated. "That's classic. 'I heard it around,' you are SO lame."

Will looked over at the girl with the dyed hair, who'd spotted and said hi to Ryan. Everything seemed fine. "They're just talking." He said to Casey. "Maybe she wont tell him anything." Suddenly the expression on Ryan's face changed. He looked directly at his siblings and Will sighed. "Or maybe I'm a dead man."

"What the hell, Will?" Ryan said as they drove home from the talon. Ryan gripped the steering wheel tightly with a curious Casey sitting next to him in the passenger seat for the first time in weeks (usually Will either called or said he called 'shotgun' way before she did, but that night he felt more comfortable in the back away from Ryan).

"Dude, don't overreact." Will said.

"I should kick your ass." Ryan said. "I mean first of all, you knew I liked her and went after her anyway. But more than that you lied to me."

"I did not lie." Will opposed

"I asked you if you wanted to go for Lisa and you said no. THAT'S a lie."

"Well, I mean I didn't want to go for Lisa at the time. And then I did." Will sighed. Ryan reached to the back seat and slugged his younger brother in the shoulder not noticing he was also running a red light. The sirens wailed.

"Unbelievable! Could this night get ANY better" Ryan yelled. He turned to his brother and sister and whispered, "Do not say a word." They nodded as he turned to greet the cop. "Hi, how are you tonight?"

The five foot two cop with black hair nodded. "I was alright until you came speeding by that light. Are you aware of what the red light means?"

"Um, stop." Ryan answered.

"Correct. And are you aware of the color of the light you just passed?"

"Yes ma'am. It was red, but…"

"Well now we're getting somewhere." She said. "License and registration."

"I-I know I should have stopped, but see I…"

"License and registration." She repeated, more firmly this time.

"Yes ma'am." He complied.

She looked at the license. "Kent? As in Clark Kent, Jonathan and Martha's son?"

"Yep. He's our father." Casey said from the backseat, which earned her a glare from Ryan.

"Well I'll be." The cop sighed. "How long are y'all visiting for?"

"We've actually been living here now for just about a month now."

" I used to know your dad. I just moved back into town myself." She sighed. "Hmmm. Tell you what I'll let you off with a warning if you promise to tell your dad I said hello."

"Sure!" Ryan eagerly agreed. "What's your name?"

"Lana. Lana Lang."


	5. Chapter 5

When the kids got home they found that all of the adults had gone to bed.

Casey checked her watch "It's 10:30 and Dad's asleep. He's becoming more and more like Grandpa everyday." She said.

"Well at least we don't have to tell him you got pulled over, right Ry?" Will said.

"I wouldn't have gotten pulled over if it wasn't for you." Ryan said. He pulled out a piece of paper wrote a note and slipped it under his father's bedroom door. "And by the way, I'm still not talking to you." He said before walking away.

Will sighed and went into the living room, preferring to sleep on the couch than in the room he shared with his brother and Casey went to her room.

The next morning Clark woke up and put his jeans and boots. When he went over to his dresser to get a shirt he found a piece of paper on his floor. The words scribbled on the sheet make his heart skip not one but two beats.

_Lana Lang says hi._

Clark crept down the stairs. He didn't know why he was being so careful. He felt like a teenager again, sneaking back in or out of the house. Only this time he found his son sleeping on the couch in the living room. "Will?" he whispered shaking him a little.

"He wont get up, Dad." Ryan entered the room scaring the crap out of Clark. "He sleeps like a rock unless he hears an actual alarm clock."

"And why exactly didn't he hear the alarm clock in your room?"

"Cuz he slept out here." Ryan said pointing to the still sleeping Will.

"And why'd he do that?"

"Well cuz he didn't want to sleep in our room. I don't care where he sleeps." Ryan mumbled as he saw the note in his father's hand. "Oh, you saw the note."

"Erm, yeah I-uh, yeah I got the note." Clark failed at trying to hide his uneasy disposition. "How'd you meet her?"

Now it was time for Ryan to feel uneasy. Luckily he was saved by Casey who waltzed into the room dragging Dave with her. "Dad! Good you're up."

"Mornin' Mr. Kent." Dave waved.

"Dad, can Dave go back to school shopping with us?"

"Sure." Clark agreed. Then he thought about it. "When are we doing his shopping?"

"Today, duh." Casey said flopping herself on the couch and inadvertently waking up Will. "Oh my God I am So Sorry Will." Her brother mumbled something about pickles and went back to sleep.

"Moron." Ryan said as he walked out of the room.

"Today?" Clark asked. "I'm sorry honey, I can't take you today. There's just way too much going on?" Clark wasn't lying. Between the discovery of his long lost love, an obvious fight between his sons, and… where exactly were his parents? "Where are your grandparents?"

"Oh, they're in Metropolis going over some contract thing." Dave said. Damn. Clark did remember them talking about something like that.

"Daddy!" Casey whined "Schools gonna start in two days! You promised! Remember, you let Ry and Will go by themselves when I had soccer practice. And I didn't complain when you said I had to go with you, but…" Casey definitely knew how to lay it on thick.

"Sir, if you wouldn't mind, I could take Casey today… If you don't mind." Dave offered nervously.

"Fine." He was so jumbled. Clark had been awake twenty minutes and already had enough of that day. He went back up to his room and fell onto his bed thinking to himself "It's days like this when I really need Lois by my side again." Then he thought about and wished he could have his wife by his side again all he time.

"Your dad seemed kinda out of it." Dave said driving down the high way. A few minutes earlier he'd realized he left his wallet at home. They were heading to his house. Though she played it off, Casey was really excited. She'd never been to his house.

"You noticed it too?" Casey asked. "I don't know. He's probably just a little tired. Thanks for offering to take me back to school shopping."

"No problem." Dave said. They pulled up to the house.

"Wow." Casey gazed. The house was easily double the size of her own and especially picturesque.

"Lets hurry up." Dave said.

"No way." Casey smiled taking his hand. "I wanna meet EVERYBODY."

"Sorry babe." Dave said "Nobody's home."

Casey pouted "But you've met everybody in my family. I wanted to at least meet your parents." Then a thought hit her "Although this could be fun too."

Dave turned to her "Meaning?"

"Well, you. Me. Alone. Not exactly my least favorite scenario."

Dave looked at Casey. Her long eyelashes that flicked over her warm brown eyes. Her sweet little button nose. Her cute dimples framing her smile. This was the girl he loved and, even though his common sense begged him to say no, she wanted him to say yes. "Okay, but just for five minutes." He caved.

He lead her through the charming house and she took it all in, frequently stopping to ask questions. Finally they got to Dave's room, which was at the end of a long hallway. Dave had barely opened the door, when Casey heard the front door of the house unlock.

"Somebody's here." She whispered.

"Oh my God." Dave panicked. "You gotta hide."

"But I wanna meet your family." She smiled.

"Casey, listen, you… you really have to hide right now okay. Please." Casey didn't know why, but Dave looked desperate. She followed him into his room and he concealed her in a closet.

"David?" She heard from behind the door.

"I'm in my room." Dave answered. She heard the door to Dave's room open.

"David," she heard a man say "what are you doing home?"

"Oh I forgot my wallet. Had to come back and get it."

"Sometimes you just don't think… Your room's a mess." Casey had only briefly seen the room but she thought it was really neat.

"Yes sir." She listened to Dave say. "I'm sorry about that." His voice cracked. She'd never thought of Dave as jittery, but that's how he sounded.

"Dave didn't I tell you to latch the gate to the corral this morning?"

"I don't think so. Didn't you tell one of the other guys?" Dave said.

"No. I distinctly remember asking you David, but when I got home I noticed it was open. One of the horses could have gotten out because you forgot…" The man sounded forceful.

" I'm sorry Dad, I swear I thought you asked one of the Met U. guys." He sounded so nervous. "It won't happen again."

"It'd better not!" The man was screaming. Casey had to hold her breath as she heard the sound of a thrown punch and her boyfriend hit the ground. Then she heard footsteps exiting the room. The man was gone. Casey rushed out of the closet a found Dave holding his bloody nose on the ground.

"Baby!" she whispered.

"I-I'm fine." He said. "We got to get you outta here."

Casey thought the same thing about him.

Casey couldn't speak. She looked out the truck window down at the lines of the road passing by because she couldn't look at Dave. All she wanted to do was hold him in her arms and tell him everything was okay. But it wasn't. The way that man- his father talked to him wasn't okay. The he hit him wasn't okay.

"How often?" she finally asked still unable to look at him.

"Huh?" Dave asked.

"How often does your dad hit you like that?" She asked wiping a tear from her eye.

"Casey, its no big deal. Its only when I deserve it or when I do something stupid."

"Dave its abuse when…" Casey started finally looking at him.

"you don't know what you're talking about Casey, so couldya just shut up!" he snapped. Casey turned back to the window. He could tell from her breathing that she was crying and he couldn't have felt guiltier. He knew she was only trying to help, but he didn't want her to upset herself worrying about him. Now he'd just upset her anyway. Sometimes he could be SO stupid.

He pulled over. "Look, baby, I'm sorry. I really am." He said putting his hand on her shoulder. "I just… I don't want you to fret over me. You're the best thing in my life and I just want you to smile. I swear you, I'm not in any danger, so you can just relax. Believe me baby"

Casey turned to her boyfriend and kissed his hand. "Okay. I believe you" She lied.

Meanwhile, Clark also lied, only to himself. "I'm not nervous." He thought. "Why should I be nervous? I'm just visiting an old friend. Who cares if she was my first love and the woman I lost my virginity to? That's no reason to be nervous?"

"Clark." He whipped around and was face to face with Lana Lang. Boy, was he nervous.

"Lana. Hi." He waved meekly and immediately felt as if he was back in high school. Lana smiled and gave him a hug. Since she'd just gotton off of work they decided to go to the farm. Lana missed it over the years and had been meaning to say hi to Jonathan and Martha since she moved back to Smallville.

"You cut you hair." He said.

"Yeah. About four years ago." She rapped one finger around a strand of hair that just barely reached her shoulder. "Clark I can't believe you're here, what's it been?"

"Sixteen years. Since Will was born." Clark answered. "I never knew you were interested in law enforcement." He said pointing to her badge.

"Yeah well after all those years of being attacked and kidnapped, I decided to try and help put an end to it. And now it's brought me right back here to Smallville. So what about you? What brings you back to our hometown hamlet?" She asked as they pulled onto the farm.

Clark cleared his throat. "Um well… Lois was killed in a car accident right before summer."

Lana looked up in shock. "Oh my God. Oh Clark, I'm so sorry." She said.

"Well I decided it would be best for me and the kids to move back onto the farm with my parents and I think it was the right choice. The kids are really doing well here and my parents have been great."

"They always are."

Clark went around and opened the door for Lana. It was then that Ryan, who was just about to head to the Tallon, noticed who was talking to his father.

"Oh great." He sighed. "Hi Dad." He walked over fretfully. "Look I can explain."

Clark had learned that whenever one of his children spoke this phrase, to never let on if he had no clue what they were talking about. "I'm listening."

"Well, okay so first of all let me say this is ALL Will's fault."

"Really?" He asked, still in the dark.

"Yes sir." Ryan replied. "I was trying to drive home and Will was pestering me! I tried to get him to stop and he made me turn around so I didn't see the red light and that's why I got pulled over."

"You got pulled over for running a red light?" Clark asked.

"You didn't know?" He looked at Lana. "You didn't tell him?" Lana smiled and shook her head. "You didn't know." Ryan repeated to his father mentally kicking himself. He always let his father trick him into telling him things.

"No I didn't know. Why did you lie to me?"

"I didn't lie, Dad. I thought it wasn't important and didn't think I HAD to tell you because she only gave me a warning." Ryan said.

"Who?" Clark asked. "Lana?" he looked at her. "You pulled my son over?" he couldn't help but smile a little at the situation. Then he turned back to Ryan. "Where's your brother?" He asked.

"In the loft."

"Did your grandparents get back from Metropolis yet?"

"Yes sir, they're in the kitchen." Ryan said.

Clark turned to Lana and said "Sorry about all of this."

"No problem." Lana shrugged.

"Ryan, take Lana over to your grandparents and then wait for me in your room. I'm going to go get your brother."

"Yes sir." Ryan obeyed.

After he dropped off the cop in the kitchen, Ryan went upstairs and waited for Clark to pass judgment. He was a little confused about who the officer was. The way his grandparents reacted when they saw her, it was almost as if she was family.

Clark walked in and Will sat down next to Ryan. Their father noticed the looks exchanged between the two of them.

"What is going on with you two?" He asked.

"He's mad at me because I hooked up with the girl he likes." Will said.

"That's not why I'm mad at him." Ryan said. "I'm mad at him because he lied to me."

"I didn't lie to him! I changed my mind about her after he asked me if I liked her." Will explained.

"Well then why didn't you tell me?" Ryan asked finally looking at his brother.

"I didn't think you needed to know c-cuz it was over and it already happened and all."

"You're such a liar! He's lying Dad!" Ryan said.

"Ryan calm down." His father said. Then he turned to his younger son. "Will, are you sure that's really the reason you didn't Ryan?" There was no response. "Young man, I asked you a question. Is that really the reason you didn't tell your brother?" "

Will sighed and looked down at his shoes. "No sir." He looked at Ryan. "I-I guess I knew it would make you mad. Even when I was doing it, I knew it would upset you and I did it anyway. And then I just couldn't tell you, cuz there was no excuse, but I am really sorry." Ryan still didn't even look at his brother.

"Will, you can go back to your chores." Clark said.

"Yes sir." Will almost whispered.

Ryan went to stand up. "We're not done yet Ryan." Clark said. "Why didn't you forgive your brother?"

"Because he still lied to me. He didn't tell me the truth until you made him."

"Kinda like the way you didn't tell me about your ticket?" Clark asked.

"But Dad…" "Ryan was stumped. He really had nothing to say. His father was right. He had lied and did feel regretful about. He realized that his brother must have felt the same way. "I guess. Can I go talk to Will for a second?" Clark nodded and Ryan left the room.

Ryan went over to the loft and accepted his brothers apologies. After he helped Will finish the rest of his chores they both needed a drink. When they went in the kitchen they found their father and grandparents still talking with the female cop.

"Boys, I want to formally introduce you to an old friend of mine." Clark said. " This is Lana Lang. We were good friends during high school. Lana, these are my boys, Ryan and Will."

"Nice to meet you Ms. Lang" Will and Ryan shook her hand.

"Please, call me Lana." She smiled.

Ryan opened the refrigerator and got a glass of orange juice. He passed the pitcher to Will.

"I just can't get over how much they look like you." Lana said to Clark.

Will lifted the pitcher to take a sip. "Will," Martha warned when he went to take a swig right from the jug "get a glass please."

"Sorry Grandma, it just taste better this way." Will shrugged and got a glass.

"Lana, I agree that his sons look like him, but I just can't get over how much they ACT like him." The adults in the room laughed.

Lana was invited to stay for dinner. When the boys went to wash up, Ryan heard whimpering coming from somewhere in the house. "Do you hear that?" he asked.

"Hear what?" Will said.

"Crying. You don't hear it?"

Will focused and did begin to hear the sound of weeping. "I hear it." He said. They looked around but nobody was crying. Finally the boys made it outside and the crying sound became clearer. "It sounds like it's coming from the loft." Will said. "But there's no way… how can we hear somebody crying all the way in the loft?"

" Let's figure out who's in there first." Ryan said heading for the barn.

When they got there, the boys found Casey crying on the couch.

"Casey? What's wrong?" Ryan asked concerned.

"I-I can't tell you." She sobbed.

"What do you mean you can't tell us? Whats going on Casey." Will demanded.

"Nothing."

"Where's Dave?"

"He just dropped me off"

"What did he do Casey?" Ryan asked.

"Nothing! He didn't do anything" She looked up at her brothers. "He needs help. I'm gonna tell you something, but you cant tell anybody. Not Dad. Not Grandpa or Grandma. Nobody."

"Okay." They agreed.

"Promise me."

"I promise."


	6. Chapter 6

Warning:

Later in this chapter there's a flashback of a spanking. Its not at all sexual AND the actual spanking isn't written about, just the parts before it and after, but I just figured I would cover all of my bases.

With that said:

"His Dad abuses him?" Will asked. Casey nodded.

"Careful Casey," Ryan warned "you can't just throw around words like abuse unless you're absolutely sure. I mean Mom and Dad didn't disapprove of spankings when we needed and I don't think that's abuse."

"Ryan I already told you. I was there. I heard him punch him and…"

"And what?" Ryan said.

"Well, it may sound crazy but… but I thought I saw it too." She explained.

Will sat down next to her. "What? I thought you said you were in the closet."

"I know! I was. Look, I know it sounds crazy, but I think I saw through the door. It was like an x-ray or something."

"It doesn't sound crazy." Ryan said. "We heard you crying from the bathroom in the house."

"Yeah!" Will cut in "X-ray vision, super hearing. Those are both things Dad said he started doing at our age."

Just then Clark began to walk up the stairs.

"Boys," he said ticked off "what's with the disappearing act? I think I've been really patient with you two today but you cant just walk out on dinner especially when I have a guest…" Clark saw Casey. "Baby, what are you doing home? I thought you'd be out late?"

"I… um…" Her brothers could tell she was stuck.

"Dave felt a little sick and decided to bring her home." Ryan stepped in

"Yeah, you know how conscientious that Dave is." Will helped out.

"Um okay… So why are you in here?" Clark asked.

"I… Left a book up here?" Casey lied.

"And we're helping her find it."

"Well hurry up guys, we're waiting for you at the table."

"We'll be right in Daddy." Casey said as Clark left. "God I hate lying to him, especially after we promised we'd be honest. I just… I cant tell Dave's secret." The three looked at each other with worried expressions.

"So, you knew Dad his whole life huh?" Ryan asked Lana as she passed him the peas.

"Yep. We actually started our first day of Smallville Elementary School together in the middle of the year. I'd just moved in with my Aunt Nell and he'd just been adopted by your grandparents." Lana said smiling.

Clark remembered that day, but was surprised that Lana did too. He didn't think he was even a blip on her radar until his freshman year of high school.

"It's so strange to see you kids all grown up." Lana continued. "The last time I saw you boys Will had just been born and Ryan was just about a toddler."

"You were there when I was born?" Will asked.

"Lana even helped name you." Clark said. "it was a choice between my grandfathers or your mothers grandfathers."

"I preferred the name William Hiram Kent." Lana said.

"Weren't mom's grandfathers named Eugene and Heathcliff?" Will asked. Clark nodded. "Good choice." Will said to Lana. The table was full of laughter… all of course except for Casey. Clark was happy to see his boys being so hospitable with Lana. The boys thought their plan to remove Clarks attention from Casey (who couldn't hide her angst if she tried) couldn't have worked out better.

After dinner Clark took Lana home. "Lana, It was so good to see you." He said when they go to her house.

"Well, we live in the same town again, so there's no reason why we have to wait another 16 years to talk to each other again." Lana said.

Clark swallowed "Lana, I don't think distance was the reason we haven't talked in so long."

She sighed. She'd been avoiding this conversation all night. She'd been avoiding this conversation since she gave Ryan that note for Clark. Hell she'd been avoiding this conversation for sixteen years. "Clark, uh, I have to get some sleep. Early shift tomorrow." Sixteen years of evasion had made her the expert avoiding this topic. She gave him a quick hug and ducked into the house before he even knew what happened. "I thought I was the one with the super speed!" he thought to himself.

"This is bad." Ryan said laying on one of the couches in the loft. Both boys had watched and soothed their sister as she cried herself to sleep, then went up to the loft o think. "I mean, what are we going to do?"

"I still say we tell Dad." Will sighed.

"But Casey…"

"I don't care what Casey wants. Well… I mean I do, but right now we gotta think about the right thing to do, even if our little sister hates us for doing it."

"I know." Ryan said. Will looked at him skeptically. "I really do I just…"

"Hate it when she hates you?"

"Exactly!" Ryan said..

"Well you've always been a sucker for Casey." Will explained.

"Huh?"

"She's always had you wrapped around her finger. I mean don't get me wrong, she's my sister and I love Casey, but I wouldn't leave the house five minutes before curfew just to get her favorite ice cream."

"She was sick and she couldn't eat anything else." Ryan defended. "Besides I made it home on time. And its not like I wouldn't do the same for you. In fact I remember a couple of times when I snuck you back into the house after curfew."

"Ryan, I'm not saying you're a bad brother to me. Not at all. I'm just saying this isn't the time to cater to Casey." They thought for a second before simultaneously getting up to go to bed. Will stopped. "Hey Ry?"

"Yep"

"You remember that day when Dave come into to work with those huge bruises on his back and arms?"

"Said he was playing football with some friends the day before. Took him twice the time to finish his chores that day." Ryan remembered. "I can't believe his father would hurt him like that. I mean I can't even imagine Dad beating us up. Case said he hadn't even done anything wrong." Ryan said sadly. He thought about the times when his father had to give him a spanking or two. But the crime always fit the punishment. And Clark always made sure that he knew exactly what he was being punished for.

Flashback

Clark was already upset that he had to leave work early to go to pick up his twelve year old son. But when he had to wait forty-five minutes to see the principal, just to find out that Ryan was suspended for smoking, he really saw red.

Clark couldn't even find the words for how he felt as he drove back home. When they got back, Ryan was sent to his room and Clark called Lois. She too was livid with their son. Clark went to Ryan's room. The boy, who had been laying on the bed, immediately sat up to face his father.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself, young man." Clark asked.

"Well..." His eyes were cast down "I'm really sorry Dad. And I want you to know that I'm not a smoker. We were just trying it. I really am sorry."

"Is that all?" Clark asked.

"Yes sir." Ryan said still burning a whole in the floor with his eyes (A/N not really, although I can totally see that happening).

"Ryan, I'm very disappointed in you." Clark sighed. "I think you know what has to happen."

"Yes sir." Ryan said.

"Go on." Clark said

Ryan couldn't help but shake a bit. He always hated this part, almost as much as the actual spanking. His father waited patiently for his son to continue with what he knew he had to do. Ryan finally gathered up his courage. With a quivering voice he said. "Dad, I need to be spanked. I've earned this spanking for smoking and being suspended for three days." Clark always had his children say this before they were punished, in order to ensure that they clear on why they were being disciplined. Having heard it, he led his son over to his lap and began to spank him.

By the time he was finished, Ryan was crying and begging uncontrollably. Clark sat him up, kissed the top of his head and just let him cry for a little while. When he'd calmed down a bit, Clark led him over to a corner of the room. "I want you to stay here until I say so Ryan."

"Y-yes sir." Ryan said. Although his bottom burned and he felt very embarrassed, Ryan knew his father only did it because he loved him.

"Ry!" Will said.

"Huh." Ryan turned around and saw that he was back in the loft. His brother looking at him confusedly.

"Are you alright man?" Will asked.

"Yeah. Just thinking. Come on man lets go to bed."

Casey didn't know if it was Ryan rubbing her back that put her to sleep. He'd done it when she was younger to put her to bed. Maybe it was Will singing softly. (something he NEVER did unless it was absolutely necessary). He had such a soothing voice. Or maybe it was the fact that she'd been crying to the point of coughing and gagging for an hour straight that tired her out.

What ever "it" was, all she knew was that by one in the morning "it" was gone. Casey couldn't sleep. She tried laying to the right. Laying on her stomach. She got an extra pillow from the linen closet. She got another. She tried sleeping with no pillows at all. She just could not sleep. Suddenly a thought popped into her mind. She quickly dismissed it as nonsensical. But the more she thought about it, the better it sounded. She crept out of her room and down the hallway. Before she could talk herself out of it, Casey was in her father's room. He, along with the rest of the house was sleeping.

"Daddy?" She poked him a little.

"Case?" Clark mumbled. "What time is it?"

She glanced at his alarm clock."1:17… Umm, Daddy?"

"Yah baby?"

"Can I…Can I sleep in here with you?" His youngest child asked.

Clark sat up. "What's wrong honey? Did you have a nightmare or something?" He moved over on the bed and gestured for her to lay down.

"Or something." Casey said to herself as Clark wrapped his arm around her. She needed to feel safe. That's what was missing from her room. But now that she was safe, her thoughts moved to Dave.

"Casey, are you sure you're okay?" Clark asked concerned. Not only was this the first time in years that she'd needed to sleep in her parent's bed, but he'd noticed her red, puffy, bloodshot eyes. Something was wrong. "Casey?" he repeated.

"I-I'm fine Daddy… I just couldn't sleep before." She was lying. He knew it. She knew it. But neither one of them said anything.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, Clark went over to the boys room before breakfast on knocked on the door.

"Hey Dad." Will said pulling on a shirt.

"Last day of summer, huh guys?" Clark said.

"Don't remind me." Ryan groaned.

Clark smiled and then remembered why he came to the room. "So… Do you have any idea what's going on with your little sister?" Neither son said anything but their body language was response enough. While Will stopped moving for a second, Ryan's eyes immediately dropped to the floor.

"Boys." He warned. With this, they looked at each other, but when Clark closed the door to their room, their eyes were on him. "Boys, I'm trying to be calm, but that's only gonna last for about three more seconds. What is wrong with Casey?"

"I-its not Casey Dad. " Will spoke up. "Casey's fine."

"Fine. You mean the girl had to sleep in my room last night. That is if she got any sleep, what with her waking up every 10 minutes in tears. Yeah she's fine."

"What he means is, Casey's not the one in danger." Ryan said.

Clark was about to ask what he meant when Martha called up. "Clark honey! It's Lana."

"Can you tell her I'll call her back Mom. I'm kinda busy."

"I would but she's here! She says it's important."

Clark sighed. "I'll be right back." He told his sons.

"Bad time?" Lana asked when he met her on the porch.

"I'm a bit busy. Whats going on?"

"I just… I had to tell you… I'm sorry." She said.

"Sorry about what?" He asked.

"What I said the night Will was born. You were only trying to help, but I didn't understand. I didn't get it until a few years ago Clark." She said honestly. She could remember the night so clearly. A few minutes after they'd named Will, Lana's husband Frank showed up. Clark had never like him. He was a jealous man. More than that, h always seemed was controlling of Lana. He spoke to her as if she was a child. Clark finally had enough of him and pulled Lana to the side and begged her to leave him. Lana was furious with Clark. She said he was the jealous one. She said he didn't know Frank and was just prying. She told him to stay out of her life and he did… for the next sixteen years.

"Please forgive me Clark." She pleaded.

Clark pulled her into a hug. "Lana it's okay." After a few more minutes, Lana left for work and Clark back up to his boys.

"Dad," Ryan said when Clark questioned them again "Dave is in trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" Clark asked. He heard a knock on the door and Casey walked in.

"What are we talking about guys?" She asked, directing her comment to her brothers.

"We have to tell him Case." Will said.

"No!"

"Tell me what?" Clark asked.

"Dad…" Ryan began.

"You promised Ry!" Casey squealed.

It broke his heart, but Ryan heard Will's words. He had to do what was right. "I'm sorry Casey." He sighed. "Dad, Ryans father is abusing him. Casey saw him punch him and you know how he always comes in bruised up. We're really worried."

Clark couldn't believe what he was hearing. First Lana, now Dave. And all before breakfast. It was going to be another long day.

"Casey!" Ryan called his sister as she stormed out of the room. He went to follow her.

"I got it son." Clark said.

"But Dad- I gotta make her understand or she'll hate me forever." Ryan sighed.

Clark put his hand on his shoulder and sat Will down beside him. "She wont hate you forever. She doesn't hate you now. I think that Casey knows in her heart, you boys did the right thing- and you did do the right thing. I'm proud of you for telling me. Trust me, I'll go talk to her and eventually she'll be apretiative of what you're done for her and for Dave."

Clark found Casey sitting in the loft by the window.

"Hi baby." He said softly. She didn't turn around. "Listen to me Casey, I'm gunna figure out a way to help Dave okay." He walked over to her. She looked so still and expressionless. Her eyes were glazed. Worried, Clark picked her up and sat down on the couching. Holding her as she sat on his lap, she felt like a baby. "Casey?"

She finally looked at him and blinked back a tear and looked at him. "Daddy." It wasn't a question. Just a statement as if she thought to herself "I should have known it was you."

"I'm right here." He went to wipe her tears, but she blocked his hand.

"Don't." She whispered.

"Honey, I'm gunna…"

"Gunna what Dad?" Her stoic innocence switched into unexpected irritation. She got off of his lap. "You cant fix this. Nobody can. Nobody's safe! Not Dave…not Mom."

"What do you mean Casey?" Clark asked.

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE DAD!" She turned to storm off.

"Cassandra Joanne Kent, you will not walk away from me." She froze for a second. When she finally did turn to meet him, Clark was heartbroken to see the tears well in her eyes. She began to collapse to the floor but Clark supersped over and caught her.

"It's all my fault Daddy." She wept openly now. Clark looked at her, confused. "They all get hurt. I let Dave get hurt. I let Mama get hurt. What's wrong with me. Everyday I get stronger and stronger. Why cant I help them?" She bawled.

"Shhhhhhh." Clark gently stroked her hair. "Hush now. What's going on with Dave and what happened to your mama, that's not your fault."

"But I…"

"No. Listen to me. Do you hear me?" she nodded "You had no control over this. Any of it. I don't know why these things have to happen, but you didn't cause them. If anything, you made them better. I promise you I will do all I can to help Dave. You finding out about his situation is going to help him. And as for your mom…" He swallowed "Your mom lived an incredibly happy life. She was blessed with three amazing children who were the lights in her world. You weren't what ended her life baby. You were what made her life." Casey sunk into her father as her rocked her soothingly. As he consoled his child, Clark came up with a plan of action, but first he needed to make a stop at Dave's house.

Clark knocked on the door of Dave's house.

"Mr. Kent? What are you doing here?" Dave asked when he answered the door.

"I came to drop off your check for this week." Clark said handing him an envelope.

"Oh." He looked relieved. "Well thank you, but you know I usually just pick it up myself. You didn't have to go through the trouble of bringing it over here…"

"It was no bother." Clark said. "I wanted to talk to you about something else too. Um, is your father her Dave."

"No sir, he went in for work about an hour ago. Is, um, is something wrong?"

Clark cleared his throat "You tell me."

Dave looked down at the floor. "Casey told you?" Clark nodded. "Well its really not that big of a deal, Mr. Kent. I mean, Casey's just b-being protective of me, but I promise I'm fine."

"Dave…"

"Mr. Kent, my father's strict and he rides me pretty hard but…but he's not abusive. He's a good man. He works hard and I can be really obnoxious sometimes. But he puts up with me cuz he loves me." He babbled.

"Dave who are you trying to prove this to?" Clark asked. "Me? Or you?" It was then that Clark noticed the black and blue mark of Dave's arm. "Did he do this to you? Answer me?" Dave nodded meekly. "Is this what you mean by love?" Clark said holding up the boys arm. "I'm gunna get you out of here."

Dave put his arm behind his back. "He's all I got. My mother left us and my grandparents are dead. He's my only family. I've thought about leaving so many times, Mr. Kent, but where would I go?"

"Dave, I have an idea. I'm trying to help you and I think I know a place for you to stay, but for this to work you gotta be willing to help yourself."

"Sir?"

"You have to be prepared to testify and report your father, otherwise your Dad WILL get you back again." Clark explained. "Are you willing to do that Dave?"

Dave thought about it. He thought about how much he trusted Clark. How he envied the relationship Clark had with his children. How he'd hoped for a life like that. Without the fear. Without the shame. He thought about all of that and swallowed. "I-I'll try Mr. Kent. I mean my Dad's pretty powerful in Samllville. I don't even know if the cops would take my word over his. And if they do make him stay away from me, where can I go?"

Knock Knock Knock.

"Hi Lana, I was hoping you could do me a favor." Clark said when she opened the door.


	8. Chapter 8

"Why don't you just go on up and talk to her?" Martha suggested after watching Ryan mope and brood on the couch for an hour. His father had talked to Casey and left to help Dave, but Ryan still didn't know Casey was still mad at him.

"I dunno." Ryan sighed.

"Well why not? I mean Clark said that she was happy that he was gonna help him. She probably appreciates what you did too."

Ryan made his way up the stairs to his sister's room. He opened the door and found her at her desk. "Hey Casey." He said timidly. She looked up at him. "Listen bugger, I am so sorry if you feel like I betrayed you or anything. I honestly didn't have any other choice. I couldn't let Dave…"

"I know." Casey said.

"I mean you know if there was any other way to help him I would have never even thought to…"

"I know." Casey repeated.

"And it's so important that you can trust me but…"

"Ryan I know!" Casey said. "You and Will did the right thing." She got up and hugged her brother, who after hearing her words had a smile plastered on his face.

In a two-week period, the life of Dave Hastings was entirely flipped upside down. After reviewing the evidence, Dave's testimony, and Casey's testimony, it was obvious to both sides that Dave's father had a fair chance of losing custody in court. Not wanting to sully his image and be known as the abusive parent he was, Dave's father chose to tell his clients and friends that he'd decided to move into their apartment in Metropolis full time. He also made it known that he was allowing his son to stay in Smallville so that "he could remain with his friends and be happy."

Dave didn't care what people thought, because he was free. Lana was more than happy to take Dave in. Having gone through her own violent relationship with her husband she could relate and help the boy. She also could relate to Dave in that he was pretty much an orphan too. They got along very well in a short time. He trusted that Lana wouldn't hurt him the way his father had.

His relationship with Casey was also going great. They were so happy together and he spent a lot of his time at the Kent farm ( and this time he was doing more than chores.) The love birds often went up to the loft after school to study and then reward themselves with a little making out and cuddling. One day they went up to study for a chemistry quiz and fell asleep on the couch. They were woken up when Will came in to look for his wallet.

"Casey." He said nudging her awake. "Case."

"Huh?" she moaned.

"Casey its seven o'clock."

Both Casey and Dave shot up. "Oh my God." Casey squealed. "Why didn't anybody wake us? Is Dad freakin out?"

"No. Dad, Grandma and Grandpa went to dinner at the neighbors. You're lucky kiddo. They would have had a fit." Will explained.

"I guess I'm not as lucky." Dave sighed as he checked his phone. He had 7 missed calls, all from Lana. He rushed to the truck and started on his way. He was nervous. He hadn't been in any trouble with Lana yet. How would she react? He gripped the steering wheel tightly, imagining how his father would react in this situation. He couldn't really imagine Lana punching him, kicking him, or pushing him down (all forms of punishment his father had frequently used). Still, he wasn't sure Lana was the type to let him off with a warning either.

He walked into the living room. Lana rushed from the kitchen with the phone in her hand. "Oh thank God." She said walking toward him. "Dave where have you been."

"I…well me and Casey fell asleep on the couch at her house. I didn't mean to worry you."

When Lana went to give the boy a hug, she saw him flinch just a little. "Dave?" she said "Are you alright?"

"I- Yeah I just thought maybe…I mean my father would have…"

"Dave I will never do what your father did. Okay?" The boy nodded and she hugged him. Then Lana added, "but don't think I wont tan your hide if you ever scare me like that again."

"Yes'm." Dave said bashfully.

"And I think you should stick close to home for the rest of the week." Lana said subtly grounding him. He nodded obediently. "Good. Now go wash up and I'll get you something to eat."

"Yes ma'am." Dave said exiting. In that moment, both Dave and Lana thought to themselves how lucky they were to find a sense of true family.


End file.
